Lever and quadrant raising and lowering mechanism for ditching plow



y 1955 J. WINTER LEVER AND QUADRANT RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISM FOR DITCHING PLOW Filed July 28, 1952 INVENTOR Joy/v l l wrz/z H15 ATTORNEYS United States Patent LEVER AND QUADRAN'II RAIS NG Lowrin M CH NISM F R DI CH N LQW This invention relates to a. lever and -quadrant mech anism, and. more particularly to a novel means of this type for raising, and lowering the. cutting blades-bf. ditching machines.

It is the more or less common practice touse. quad-rant and lever mechanism for relatively moving two parts, and suchmeans. have been used. in agricultural f'implcments of various kinds. A practicable means of this character. is particularly desirable for use in ditching machines to vary the widths of the ditches cut with machines. It is the common practice to. provide means associated with such an apparatus for raising and lovvt'zr ing the. forward ends ofthe. ditching. blades or wingsg but the. rear extremities. of such blades have been fitted against vertical movement relative to the supporting the; t

ofthe wheels, thus making. it impossible to cut ditches of widths less than the maximum width adapted; to be. cut with a ditcher of this character. v

An important object of the present invention is to provide a novel type of lever and quadrant mechanism which, while not limited to its use in connection with such machine, is particularly practicable foruse with a ditcher having. winged blades, that is, blades which diverge rearwardly from a forward. cutting"v apex, to raise and lower. the. rear extremities of the blades in messy and novel manner.

A further object is to provide a lever and quadrant 2,712,187 Patented July 5, 19 55 2 end position with the ditcher blade raised substantially to its upper limit of movement;

Figure is a detail fragmentary sectional view on line. 4-4 of-Figure 2; and

Figure S-is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the quad-rant latch bar.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral 10 designates as a whole the frame of a ditcher having rearwardly diverging side frame members 11 and a rear connecting frame member 12 (Figures 2 and 3). The rear end of the frame has fixed thereto the inner ends of; axles 13 carrying supporting wheels 1 10f any desired type. The for'waid end of the frame 10 is supported 'by a caster l having its vertical shaft (not shown) arranged in a vertically elongated bearing 16 secured by gusset plates 11 to the frame members. 'Forwardl-y of the beariig'l is a bar18' affording a draft connection with the tractoremployed for pulling the apparatus.

Qitchersof this type are provided with cutter wings o r blades 20 which diverge rearwardly and are connected by a rear wall 21. The forward ends of the ditcher blades are adaptedto be raised and lowered by a bar ll'connected to'a rocker 22 operated by the piston of a hydraulic motor as pivoted to gusset plates 24 conmechanism. wherein the elements of the mechanism are I extremely simple and rugged and wherein greaterleverage for the blade-raising operation is provided with alevelr of a given length.

A further object is to provide such a device wher ein the operating lever has pivotal connection respectively with means carried laythe ditcher blade and an elementv fixed with respect to the quad-rant, and wherein such element moves linearly forwardly and rearwardly as the lever is swung about its pivotal connection-with the ditcher blade, thus providing substantial leverage for the operation of the device.

A further object is to provide a device of this character wherein a quadrant unit is mountedto slide. substantially horizontally of the frame of the apparatus and has pivotal connection with one. end. of the operating lever, thus facilitating the transmission of vertical com ponents of movement to the ditcher frame and to thc ditcher blade. h

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the renewing scription.

In the drawing I have shown invention. In this showing: H

Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a ditching apparatus n b d ment. Qt the of conventional type showing the present invention ap nectedto the forward ends of the frames 11. The elements thus fa described are wholly conventional and needs not be specifically illustrated or described, and as is well known, the forward'ends ofthe cutting bladesjare: vertically adjustable, whereas the rear ends of that; blades conventionally are fixed against vertical movement. In the practice ofthe present invention, the rear of the cutting unit comprising the blades 2t) and the rear wall- 21 is free from the floats within the rear of the frame members 11, and this arrangement is a distinct departure from conventional practice. Referring to Figure. 4, it will be noted that each cutting blade or wing 29 has. welded: thereto, as at 26, an upstanding. has 2;]; and such bar at each side of the apparatus is. arranged adjacent: the. rear end of the associated blade 10. and; projects substantially thereabove. I It will be apparent from Figures 1 and 4; that the up.- standing rods 27 limit laterial swinging movement of the. ditching blades relativeto the frame members II, this 'bging particul-arly important when, the rear ends of the lit herblades are at their lower limits beneath. the plane. of bottoms, of the frame members 11. At its upper and, ach r is p vo a ly con c ed, as at 28, to a e er .9 orming apar of a. lev r-q adrant mechanism. ne such. me h ni m s. mploy d in each. side. ofthe; apparatus, and since they are identical, only one need be. referr d; w n c Associated.- with each lever 29 is a quadrant. unit. in dicated; as a whole. by the numeral 32. Each, suchjunit comprises a lowerhorizontal slide bar 34 associated; with. one. ofthe frame. members 11. As clearly shown in. Figures. 1 and; 4 the frame members 11 are. preferably of angle. section and each slide bar 34..is arranged. in the. angle ofthe. associated side rail 11 with its broader side. lying adjacent the vertical flange of the angle. and with itsznsrrow. edge supported on the horizontal flange. of the The. slide. bar 34 is of a height substantially. less-than the vertical Width'of the vertical flange of the. chann l, and two invertedL-shaped guides 35 have been shown as being associated with each slide bar 34. These. guidc sare. shaped. as shown in Figure 4, with headportime 36: overlying the slide bar, and. a bolt 37 connects. the 'top. of;- each. guide. with the vertical flange of the associatedi'rail-ll. Each. rail 11 and. its two .guide. members cooperate to guide. the. associated slide barfor. longitudinal movement relative. to the sideframe. 1L. Each slide bar further comprises a preferably integral vertical-bar. connected atits lower end to the slide bar,

and a quadrant bar 41, connected at its upper end to the p upper end of the bar 40 and at its lower end to theslide bar 34. The arcuate edge portion of the quadrant bar 41 is provided with a plurality of spaced notches 42.

The lever 29 is pivotally connected intermediate its ends, as at 28, to the bar 27; and at its lower end, each lever 29 is pivotally connected, as at 45, to the associated bar 40. The notched edge portion of the quadrant bar 41 obviously is concentric with the axis of the pivot pin 45.

A latch bar 48 (Figures 2 and is arranged inproxirnity to the lever 29. This lever and its associated latch bar 48 are preferably arranged at opposite sides otthe quadrant bar 41, and the latch bar 48 is slidable in guides 49 and 50, preferably welded to the lever 29. V

The latch bar 48 is provided with a latch finger, 51 elongated longitudinally of the latch bar and having its lower end engageable in selected notches 42. The latch finger 51 operates between spaced guides 52 (Figure 2) projecting from the lever 29 adjacent the notched edgeof the quadrant. The guides 52 engage the latch finger 51 to prevent the latch bar 43 from turning. At a point spaced from its upper end the latch bar operates in a guide eye 54 carried by the lever 29. At its upper end, the latch bar is provided with a laterally extending handle 55, and referring to Figure 1 it will be noted that each lever 29 terminates at its upper .end in a laterally extending operating handle 56 preferably lying parallel to and spaced above a handle 55.

A spring 58 surrounds the latch bar above the quadrant bar 41. The lower end of this spring engages the upper end of the latch finger 51, while the upper end of the spring engages against the bottom of the guide 50,

Thus, the spring urges the latch finger toward the notched edge of the quadrant bar to tend to maintain engagement of the latch finger 51 with onset the notches of the quadrant.

Operation As previously stated, the particular quadrant mechanism is not necessarily limited to use with a ditching" mechanism of the type described. However, particularly in the arrangements of parts shown, the device is especially practicable in such use. Ditchers ofthis type have their forward ends vertically movable by the hydraulic motor 23, supplied with hydraulic fluid in any suitable manner (not shown), to adjust the height of the forward or apex end of the ditcher to vary the depth of the 'cut solid lines in Figure 2, a ditch somewhat narrower than the maximum width will be cut. If a still narrower ditch is desired, the lever 29 will be moved upwardly. The latch 51 again will be released in the manner stated and the handle 56 pushed upwardly, thus transmitting an upward force through rod 27 to lift the rear portion of the ditching unit. So far as concerns the weight of the parts, greater force is required in the upper range of movement of the lever 56 when it is moved upwardly, as will be apparent. It will be noted that as the lever swings about its pivot 28, the pivot 45 must travel in the are of a circle having the pivot 28 as its center, and it is the movement of the parts during such arcuate movement of the pin which transmits opposite vertical reaction forces to the rod 27 and to the associated side frame member 11. The bar 34 slides readily along the side rail 11, and it will be apparent that the vertical component of movement of the pivot pin 45 is materially less than the arcuate movement of this pin, and accordingly increased leverage is provided for movement of the lever 29. The closer this lever moves toward a vertical position, the smaller will be the vertical component of move- A ment relative to the arcuate movement, and accordingly the leverage is progressively increased in that portion of the range of movement of the lever 29 in which the entire weight of the rear end of the cutting unit 20 is supported.

The length of each rod 27 is such that it possesses some degree of resiliency and some play may be provided in the connection between each rod 27 and its associated lever 29. Thus the operator may raise one side of the ditcher more than the other if this operation is desired. Under such conditions, therefore, the maximum depth of cut at the apex of the cutting unit may be to one side of the center of the ditch. The ditch may taper up from the bottom of the cut to the top of one side of the ditch in a straight surface extending up to the surface of the surrounding ground, while the lowered side at the center of the ditch. However, no means usually is employed for varying the height of the rear extremities of the cutting blades, and hence regardless of the depth of the cut at the center of the ditch, the ditch usually is of a total width equal to the distance across the rear extremities of the blades 20. a

The present apparatus permits adjusting the total width of the out while at the same time permitting the center depth to be made as desired by adjustment of the apex of the cutter through the medium of the hydraulic motor 23. Assuming that a ditch of maximum width is to be cut, the lever 29 will be moved downwardly from the position shown in solid lines in Figure 2 to the position shown in dotted lines. The operator will grasp both handles and 56 and pull upwardly on the handle 55 to release the latch 51 from the notch 42 with which it was previously I engaged. Holding the latch in released position, the operator will bear downwardly on the free end of the lever, thus transmitting downward force through the rod 27 tothe associated side' of the cutting unit. "So far asthe weight of the parts is concerned, this operation requires little effort, since the weight of the ditching unit tends to move it downwardly. When the proper adjusted position is reached, in this case the lowermost position of the rear of the cutting unit, the handle 55 will be released and the latch 51 will be engaged with the lowermost notch 42.

In the intermediate position of the parts shown .in

of the cutting unit will cut a bank at its side of the ditch. Such a type of cut is desirable under some conditions. .From theforegoing it will be apparent that with the use of an operating lever of average length, greater leverage and hence greater ease of operation is provided. Thebars 27 which afford the connection between the operating levers and the rear portions of the ditching unit act asmeans for limiting lateral movement of the ditcher by. engagement of the bars 27 with the side frames 11, thus permitting the full floating of the rear end of the ditching unit.

Theconstruction shown for the purposes of illustration embodies the invention in a preferred form, but it is intended that the disclosure be illustrative rather than definitiveof the invention. The invention is defined in the claims,

straight frame member, and an implement depending from said frame; a quadrant unit having a straight slide bar in engagement, with said straight frame member, guide means fixed to said frame member and engaging said slide bar to guide it for longitudinal sliding movement relative to said frame member, said quadrant unit further comprising a quadrant bar fixed to said slide bar and. having a notched arcuate portion concentric with a given axis on said quadrant unit, a lever pivoted to said quadrant unit on said axis, a substantially vertical connecting means pivotally connected to said lever intermediate its ends and having fixed connection with said implement, and latch means carried by said lever and selectively engageable in any of said notches, said connecting means being fixed against movement longitudinally of said straight frame member whereby, when said lever. is operated, it pivots about its pivot connectionwith said connecting member and transmits movement to said quadrant unit through the pivotal connection of said lever thereto.

2. Apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein said side rail is of angle section with one vertical and one horizontal flange, said slide bar lying within the angle of such section and said guide means comprising a plurality of guides fixed to the vertical flange of said rail above said slide bar and projecting downwardly over said slide bar at the side thereof remote from said vertical flange.

3. In combination with an implement having a frame, forward and rear Wheels for supporting said frame for movement over the ground, said rear wheels being mounted to rotate on an axis fixed relative to said frame, said frame including a straight substantially horizontal frame member, and an implement depending from said frame; a quadrant unit having a straight slide bar elongated horizontally and arranged in sliding engagement with said straight frame member, guide means carried by said straight frame member and engaging said slide bar to guide it for longitudinal sliding movement relative to said frame member, said quadrant unit further comprising a quadrant element fixed to said slide bar and having a notched arcuate portion concentric with a given axis on said quadrant unit, a lever pivoted at its lower end to said quadrant unit on said given axis, a substantially vertical bar fixed at its lower end to said implement and projecting upwardly therefrom and being pivoted to said lever intermediate the ends thereof, and latch means carried by said lever and selectively engageable in said notches, said vertical bar being fixed against movement longitudinally of said straight frame member whereby, when said lever is operated, it turns about its pivotal connection with said vertical bar and effects movement of said slide bar longitudinally of said straight frame member while turning about said given axis.

4. In combination with an implement having a frame, forward and rear supporting wheels for said frame including a pair of substantially spaced rear Wheels mounted to turn on a common axis fixed relative to said frame, said frame including spaced horizontal side rails, and an implement depending from said frame within said side rails; a pair of devices for raising and lowering said implement relative to said frame, each such device being arranged adjacent one of said side rails and comprising a slide bar in engagement with the adjacent side rail and mounted thereon for longitudinal sliding movement relative thereto, a quadrant carried by said slide bar thereabove and having an arcuate notched portion concentric with a given axis relative to said quadrant, a lever pivoted for turning movement on said given axis, latch means carried by said lever and selectively engageable with said notches, and a substantially vertical bar fixed at its lower end to said implement and pivotally connected at its upper end to said lever intermediate the ends thereof, the vertical bars of said pair of raising and lowering devices forming the sole means for supporting said implement relative to said frame and each being arranged inwardly of and in close proximity to the associated side rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 310,022 Black Dec. 30, 1884 1,168,824 Paul Jan. 18, 1916 1,215,754 Waterman Feb. 13, 1917 2,261,874 Cundilf Nov. 4, 1941 

